Breast augmentation has emerged as a highly popular cosmetic surgery procedure in recent years due to advancements in surgical techniques and FDA approvals for high quality silicone implants. However, an experienced cosmetic surgeon will advise the patients about the possibility of breast implant replacement surgery at some point of time in the future. Implant exchange surgery may be more complex compared to the primary procedure in many cases. Therefore, the procedure should ideally be performed by an experienced and reputed plastic surgeon only. Dr. Hisham Seify is a leading surgeon providing this plastic surgery procedure to patients in Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and surrounding communities.
Necessity of Implants Exchange
Breast implant exchange cosmetic surgery may become necessary for a number of reasons. Breast implants may become cracked or damaged due to capsular contracture. In some cases, the implants may lose their shape or move from their original position. Sometimes the woman may want to have smaller or larger sized breasts due to changed aesthetic priorities. Implant exchange plastic surgery may also be needed because some women want to replace their traditional saline implants with new FDA approved qualities of highly cohesive breast implants, such as Gummy Bears. If the cosmetic surgeon determines that the patient is a suitable candidate, they may recommend breast implant exchange procedure. Patients in Newport Beach, Orange County, CA, and other areas may receive this procedure from Dr. Seify, who is a board certified plastic surgeon in the region.
Non-suitability of Implants Exchange
In certain cases, the patient may not be found suitable for a breast implant exchange surgery. Some of the common reasons may be as follows:
- Diagnosis of cancerous or pre-cancerous growth in the breast tissue.
- Active infection found in some part of the patient’s body.
- The candidate is pregnant or currently nursing a newborn.
- A health condition that may pose a threat during the surgery or slow down the recovery is detected.
- The candidate suffers from inefficient blood circulation due to a previous surgery or radiotherapy.
Surgical Procedure
The surgeon will usually perform this procedure under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. Replacement of one or both implants may be involved. The reason for replacement may determine how complex the surgery is likely to be. If capsular contracture has not occurred, or if the patient wishes to exchange only the implant type, but with the same implant size, the surgical altering of breast cavity may not be required. The procedure will be performed using the old incision line as far as possible so that no new scars are formed. In case of implant damage, the debris will be first removed from the breast cavity. Through the incision the new implant will be placed and adjusted into position, and the incision will then be closed with sutures.
Recovery
Recovery period may be slightly longer than the primary breast augmentation procedure, but this will vary from one patient to another. Pain medications may be used for the first three to five days until the pain subsides on its own. The patient will be able to go back to work or return to their normal routine within a week to 10 days in most cases.
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